Dear Mayor Mendenhall and Spanish Fork City Council:

May I express my concern about the Spanish Fork City Council’s approval of the Spanish Fork Inland Port project, now labeled the “Verk Industrial Park”? May I first say that, as a 20-year resident, I am very pleased with how Spanish Fork City is run and that I very much enjoy living here in this currently healthy and pleasant community.

But I must say that I think it was a serious mistake for the city to approve the Inland Port project without first requiring — and then widely publicizing — a thorough, rigorous, independent, science-based study of the project. This should include the need for, legality of, and likely consequences. For example, what is the possible or likely damage to the health and well-being of the residents of Spanish Fork and their neighbors, and the damage to irreplaceable wetlands, wildlife habitat, irreplaceable high-quality farmland and our very pleasant, relaxed, healthy lifestyle, and the character of our community with its rural, agricultural surroundings.

The attached Utah Geological Survey wetlands map of the affected area shows that large amounts of ecologically important, sensitive and irreplaceable wetlands will be adversely affected by the project, which appears to be expanding to affect even more wetlands than initially included. I believe it is illegal to pave over or otherwise destroy ecologically sensitive and irreplaceable wetlands. I am also very concerned that developers and the city may expand the port project area to include even more of the open spaces, wetlands, natural areas and farmland currently west of the designated inland port area. (See attached map.)

I should also mention that numerous organizations concerned with human health and environmental health, including the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and the Center for Biological Diversity, have expressed deep concerns about the adverse effects these Inland Port projects will have. The city needs to consider the harmful effects on wetlands, and the diseases and deaths that will be caused by the various forms of project-related pollution, especially air pollution.

Project-associated warehouses and heavy truck traffic will cause air, noise and light pollution, as well as vehicular congestion. All these negative consequences of the inland port will adversely impact the health and well-being of us and our neighbors in greater Utah Valley.

It is common knowledge that industrial development comes with pollution and harm to the environment and human health. Again, may I emphasize that it would be a major mistake for the City of Spanish Fork to proceed with this project without first requiring a serious, rigorous, science-based, independent study of the need for, and likely adverse consequences of, the Spanish Fork Inland Port project, aka the Verk Industrial Park. Furthermore, it would also be a huge mistake to not make the results of such a study widely available to the public, and to let the citizens of Spanish Fork vote on whether or not they want this major change in the character and health of their community and the environment in which they live, and in which their children and future generations will live.

Thank you for considering my urgent request.

Sincerely yours,

James Westwater, Spanish Fork resident

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